Thursday, April 5, 2012

Who do I write for? Who is writing?


As I consider the question proposed by my AT colleague/friend, Franis AEngel (see her blog: http://myhalfof.wordpress.com/), "Who do you write for?", I come to understand that the question "Who do you write for?" is not so different from the question, "Who is writing?"  I hope to continue to grow in my understanding of this as I continue to ponder these questions, but for now, this is my answer:

(1) I write for the "me" that feels a need/desire to express/share what is inside of me;
(2) I write for those who are "not me" who might choose to stop, listen, and think about what I write, and thereby gain a (hopefully positive) experience from reading what I write;
(3) I write for the Me that doesn't feel that "need" to share, but does anyway, simply because positive Self-expression is in Its/My nature, and this medium is readily available to be used;
(4) I write for the Me that is "out there" in everyone, open to receive whatever I send out, through words or otherwise, because that is in the nature of the Self which is present in everyone.

At the moment, it interests me greatly that these answers are not just about my writing; they also apply to my Alexander teaching, and to any interaction I have with the world.

To me, Alexander Technique is fundamentally about connections/relationships, both within myself and with those I come into contact with in the world.  Whenever I am in contact with someone else--whether through this medium of writing, through verbal/hands-on/personal contact in an Alexander lesson, through a daily contact at work/walking down the street/in a store/in the car, etc., or simply through my intention--the answers to the question, "Who am I in this relationship for?" are the same as the above:

(1) I am here for the "me" that has a need/desire to be in social relationship/communication with others;
(2) I am here for the "not-me"/you, which has the same need/desire to communicate;
(3) I am here for the Me that is in me, without that need/desire, but which communicates the positivity that is in Its/My essential nature;
(4) I am here for the Me that is in you, without that need/desire, but which receives communication from the "outside", because that is in the essential nature of the universal Self within all.

This kind of expressing/receiving is constant.  We are in constant communication, constant relationship. A word for the conscious awareness of this is Love.

Ultimately, this Love is the reason I write, the reason I teach, and the reason I live.  In addition, I want to be happy, and thinking this way brings happiness!  And in this regard, I truly believe we are the same; there is only One Self.

So, those are my thoughts in answer to Franis' question.
Here is a double-question for you, my dear reader:
Who are you reading this for?  Who is reading?

* photo by Tina Phillips. http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=503

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